Quite Touching! Last Meals And Words Of World’s Notorious Inmates

When you are face to face with death, then all of a sudden, your whole life flashes before you and you begin to ask questions about how better your life could have been lived. You start to think of what you should have and shouldn’t have done, and of course places you could have been to, if granted the opportunity. Foods may be the last thing you will think of at such a moment but then you would want to grant yourself the luxury of eating that which you couldn’t afford before then.

Death is more like a reset. It places everything in perspective. And no matter how worthy of death a man is, emotions are always triggered when facing death. So are the cases you are about to see..Maybe they truly were suppose to die, but trust you would want to say NO, once you read their emotional outpours.

OSCAR RAY BOLIN JR.

Bolin was executed on January 7 in Florida.

He is believed to have been responsible for three murders — 26-year-old Teri Lynn Matthews, 17-year-old Stephanie Collins and 25-year-old Natalie Holley — but the last of the three was tossed out because of legal errors during trial.

For his last meal, he ate a steak (medium rare), a salad, some garlic break, a baked potato and a lemon meringue pie. He drank Coca-Cola.

Asked if he wished to make any final comments before he was put to death, Bolin replied: “No, sir.”

RICHARD MASTERSON

Masterson was executed on January 20 in Texas, where last meal requests are a thing of the past.

The 43-year-old, who strangled Texas woman Darin Honeycutt after meeting her in a bar in 2001, did make the most of his last words.

He declared he was at peace with the state’s decision to execute him and that he deserved to be punished.

“Sending me to a better place. I am alright with this,” Masterson said.

“You have to live and die by the choices that we make. I have made mine.”

CHRISTOPHER BROOKS

Brooks was executed a day after Masterson in Alabama.

The 43-year-old was convicted in 1992 of the rape and murder of Jo Deann Campbell, 23. The victim was beaten with a barbell, AL.com reported.

For breakfast on January 21, Brooks was delivered biscuits, sausages, jelly and cheese but chose not to eat it. He had his eyes on something sweeter. For his last meal, he requested two peanut butter cups and a Dr Pepper soft drink.

He spoke inside the chamber before his execution, saying: “I hope this brings closure to everybody” and “I’ll see you soon, I love y’all”.

JAMES FREEMAN

Freeman was executed on January 27 in Texas.

The 35-year-old was involved in a shootout with Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden Justin Hurst, who was killed when the pair exchanged fire in 2007. It was Hurst’s 34th birthday.

For his last meal, Freeman was prepared a pepper steak with gravy, steamed rice, mixed beans and bread. He was served chocolate cake and tea. He chose not to make a final statement. His last words were: “No, I do not.”

An execution chamber in Huntsville, Texas.

BRANDON JONES

Jones was executed on February 3 in Georgia. He was the oldest inmate on death row at the time of his execution, aged 72.

His execution came more than 35 years after he was convicted of killing a shop manager during a robbery.

He declined to make a final statement and did not make a special meal request. Instead, he ate prison food including chicken and rice, seasoned vegetables and cornbread.

GUSTAVO GARCIA

Garcia was executed in Texas on February 16.

In December 1990, the then-18-year-old entered a bottle shop with a shotgun, stole money and alcohol and shot clerk Craig Turski in the stomach and head. He was free for a month before police tracked him down and he confessed.

It’s not known what Garcia ate for his final meal, but he did make a statement in the execution room.

“Yes, sir,” he replied when asked if he had any final words. “To my family, to my mum, I love you. God bless you, stay strong.”

TRAVIS HITTSON

Hittson was executed on February 17 in Georgia.

The 45-year-old received an injection in Jackson, 24 years after he was convicted of killing fellow Navy crewman Conway Utterbeck. He told officers he was paranoid that Utterbeck was trying to kill him when he struck the victim a number of times with a baseball bat.

For his last meal he requested only prison food. He ate meat loaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, bread, pudding and peas and carrots.

COY WESBROOK

Wesbrook was executed on March 9 in Texas.

The 58-year-old was became the eighth person executed in the US since January 1. He was convicted in 1997 over the murder of his ex-wife, Gloria Jean Coons, and four others.

He argued he flew into a rage when he walked into a room to discover his ex-wife in bed with a number of men.

Before he was executed, he apologised.

“I want to say that I’m sorry for the pain that I have caused you people,” he said. “I’m sorry I can’t bring everybody back. I wish things could have been a lot different.”

It’s not clear what Wesbrook ate for his final meal.

ADAM WARD

Ward was executed in Texas on March 22.

The 33-year-old was found guilty of killing a city worker when the pair got into a dispute over rubbish piling up outside Ward’s home in 2007.

The condemned man said in court that he was defending himself when he shot and killed Michael Walker, 47.

Before he was executed, Ward — who courts recognised as being mentally ill — pleaded his case one last time.

“This is wrong what’s happening,” he said. “This is not a capital case; it never was a capital case; I had never intended to do anything.”

Moments before he stopped breathing, he became confused,

“I know there’s something else I need to say, but I don’t know.”

JOSHUA BISHOP

Bishop was executed on March 31 in Georgia.

The man who killed two people — Ricky Lee Wills and Leverette Morrison — just weeks apart in 1994 said he could “feel it” when he was delivered a lethal cocktail of drugs that ended his life.

“I apologise to the people of Baldwin County and to the Morrison family,” he said, his voice barely audible. “I’d also like to thank all the people who stood by me.”

He paused before his final words: “I feel it”.

Hours earlier, he made a request for a final meal that included, among other things, purple lollies.

He ate a sandwich, stew, potato chips, coleslaw and drank lemonade.

PABLO VASQUEZ

Vasquez was executed on April 7 in Texas.

The so-called “vampire killer” was put to death over the killing of a 12-year-old boy in 1998. The 38-year-old made headlines around the world when it was revealed he killed David Cardenas then drank the boy’s blood.

He was remorseful inside the execution chamber.

“I’m sorry to David’s family,” he said. “This is the only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here … See you on the other side.”